Depleted Thunder hold off Warriors to reach 50-win mark
Shai Gilgeous-Alaxander scored 27 points, including a side-step 3-pointer in the final minute, to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 104-97 home win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.
Playing without Stephen Curry, Moses Moody and Will Richard, among others, the Warriors still pushed the Thunder to the limit.
Oklahoma City led by nine with less than six minutes remaining before Golden State reeled off seven consecutive points to cut the deficit to 99-97 with 2:02 left.
The Warriors had two chances to tie or take the lead before Gilgeous-Alexander grabbed a rebound off Brandin Podziemski's floater, and the Thunder pushed the ball up the floor, stretching their lead with Gilgeous-Alexander's three.
Golden State missed its last four shots to lose for the third time in four games
Oklahoma City stretched its winning streak to five and became the first team in the NBA this season to win 50 games.
With two free throws in the closing minutes of the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander reached 20 points for the 125th consecutive game, moving within one of tying Wilt Chamberlain's NBA record for consecutive games with 20 or more points.
Kristaps Porzingis returned for Golden State, playing for the first time since Feb. 19 and just the second time in two months.
In his second game with the Warriors after being acquired last month, Porzingis had nine points, five rebounds, five assists and a block in 23 minutes.
Gui Santos led Golden State with 22 points. He also added 11 rebounds. Podziemski scored 17 and Draymond Green 16.
After hitting 11 3-pointers in the first half, the Thunder were just 1 of 10 from beyond the arc in the third as Golden State came back from a 13-point halftime deficit to tie it with 4:14 left in the quarter after a 17-4 run.
Gilgeous-Alexander got to the free-throw line six times over the final four minutes of the third to help Oklahoma City take an 86-83 lead into the fourth.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished 14-of-15 from the free-throw line.
Isaiah Joe scored 18 for Oklahoma City, which was playing without regular starters Chet Holmgren (flu), Isaiah Hartenstein (left calf contusion) and Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain).
Kenrich Williams scored 13 off the bench for the Thunder - 11 in the second quarter.